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R. A. STURGEON. CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED rh-s. 1o. |919.

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R. A. STURGEON. CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE. APPLIcATIoII FILED FEB. Io, Ism4Patented May 27, I9I9.

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ROBERT ALEXANDER STURGEON, OF SOUTHSEA, ENGLAND.

CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1919.

Application filed February 10, 1919. Serial No. 276,212.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT ALEXANDERSTURG'noN, a subject of the King of England, and resident of Southsea,Hampshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCentrifugal Machines, of which the following is aV specification.

This invention relates to centrifugal sepa rating machines of the kindin which the pressure yproduced in liquids due to centrifugal force isemployed to produce relative aXial movement between a piston and thecylinder in which it works. Hitherto such machines, although capable oftreating liquids containing little solid matter or mixtures of liquidsof different vspecific gravities, have been primarily designed fordealing with liquids containing solid matter which it was desirable todischarge intermittently, without stopping the rotation of the machine,in a more or less consolidated form. To lthis end such machines havehitherto been provided with a` cover which was only opened afterconsiderable relative axial movement had taken place betweenthe o pistonand cylinder.

A machine according to this invention is designed for the discharge ofthe heavier matter, Vwhether solid or liquid, in a fluid or semi-fluidstate, so that it will flow freely from the machine instead of beingejected in the form of a cake. as relative axial movement between thepiston and the cylinder takes place, one'end of the cylinder is openedVto -allow the immediate'escape from the cylinder of the heavier matterwhich the process of centrifuging has thrown against'its walls.`

In the preferred construction accordin to this invention the machinecomprises a cy inder having a liXed cover and a reduced opposite end,and a piston which carries a secondary piston or disk adapted to,maintain end of the cylinder during the centrifugingof the liquid undertreatment. The relative axial movement be-Jl tween the piston and.cylinder, whereby the reduced end of the latter is closed, is eifectedby the pressure producedl in the liquid byV contrifugal force,.andaxialv movement m the opposite direction immediately. causes the openingof thereduced end of the cylinder and thus permitsofthe discharge `ofthe heavier matter. This reverse `axial movement is preferably effectedby the pressure,

set up by centrifugal force in a liquid ad-V mitted to the oppositesurface of the piston.

To this end, as soonv Figure l is a vertical cross section through thecentrifugal machine;

Figs. 2, 3, t, 5 and 6 are similary cross sections showing the parts indifferent positions.

A is the cylinder provided with a fixed cover A and mounted upon ahollow spindle B. C is a piston having a bae plate C and carrying acover plate C2. The cylinder A is formed with Ya reduced open end at A2and the plate C2 is adapted to form a joint with the end A2 of thecylinder. The parts B, C, C', and C2 are allV adapted to rotate togetherin ball bearings.

The spindle B has Van inlet passage B through which the liquid to betreated is ad- -the inner face of the cylinder and forms an annular ringof liquid the inside diameter of which is determined by thediameter ofthe reduced openv end A2 ofthe cylinder (Fig. 2). The pressure of thisliquid ring is suiicient to force the piston C upward unj Atil the coverplate C2 closes the open end A2 of the cylinder (Fig. 3), the clarifiedliquid being allowed to escape throughholes C3 near the center of theplate C2. When it isconsidered that a suiiicient quantity of the heavierportion has been separated the flow of the liquid is stopped and anotherliquid is admitted-through the inlet D-to v the upper side of the piston(Fig 4) and the pressure produced by the 'centrifugal force set up inthis liquid compels the piston C to slide downward, breaking the jointbetween the plate C2 and A2 and ejecting the contents of the cylinderintosuitablereceptacles, not shown; after which the inlet D is closedand a further supply of the liquid to be treated is admitted,through'the inlet B. Fig. 6 shows ther-posi-V tion of the parts afterthe inlet D has been closed and a small amount of liquid to be'clarified admitted to the cylinder, the Vpistony j Y bein@ lon itsreturn or upward journey.

Tliel liquid by which the piston is caused to move downward escapesthrough an out-` let or leakhole A3 which is so proportioned relativelyto D that it does not allow the (Figs. 4 and 5); Y

said liquid to escape as quickly as it is admitted. v

It is obvious that this process may be used as a means for concentratingliquids in which case the clarification of the lighter liquid becomesthe secondary purpose. In no case, however, is it desired to obtainsolids in such a degree of concentration that they will not iow readilythrough the troughs and conduits into which they are discharged.

It is also clear that this construction of the machine may be varied bya suitable rearrangement of the parts, or by the use of a separatecylinder or piston for operating the main centrifugalizing cylinder.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. In a centrifugal machine the combination with a separating cylinderof a piston within the cylinder and adapted to be actuated by thepressure produced by centrifugal force in the liquid being treated andmeans moving with the said piston for closing the outlet from thecylinder by which the solids or heavier liquids are discharged.

2. In a centrifugal machine, the combination of a cylinder mounted forrotation and having suitable apertures for the entrance and dischargeinto and out of the opposite ends thereof of two liquids, one of whichis the liquid to be centrifuged, a piston within the cylinderseparatingthe said liquids and adapted to be actuated by the pressures produced bycentrifugal force insaid liquids, and means moving with the piston atall times for closing the outlet from the cylinder by which the solidsor heavier liquids are discharged.

3. In a centrifugal machine, the combination of a cylinder mounted forrotation and having an opening in one end for the discharge ofcentrifugal products and suitable additional apertures therein for theintroduction of a liquid to be centrifuged and for the introduction anddischarge of other liquid, a piston in said c ylinder separating saidliquids and adapted to 'be actuated by differences .in pressures of saidliquids on opposite sides thereof producedby centrifugal force, andmeans attachedtothe piston for closing the opening through which thesolids or'heavier liquids are discharged.

4.' In a centrifugal machine, the combina tion of a cylinder mounted forrotation and having a circular slightly less diameter than 4theI innerdiameter lof theY cylinder for the discharge-of centrifugal productsandhaving centrifuged, cylinder and a disk connected to said piston andadapted to close the circular opening Va pistonV in said cylinderopening Ain one end ofY a suitable aperture forl the introduction ofliquids to be a reciprocable Vpiston in said of said cylinder when inone position and to immediately open the said opening to allow thesolids or heavier liquids to be discharged when the piston is movedtoward said opening.

5. In a centrifuga-l machine, the combination of a cylinder mounted forrotation and having a circular opening in one endAk of slightly lessdiameter than the inner dianieter of the cylinder, for the ydischarge ofcentrifuged products having a suitable aperture for the introduction atany time of a liquid to be centrifuged, a reciprocable piston in saidcylinder, and a disk rigidly connected to said piston and adapted toclose the opening in said cylinder when the piston is at one end of itsstroke, said disk having a small central opening through which clarifiedliquid may continually flow from said cylinder and said circular,opening being immediately opened for the discharge of solids andheavier liquids when the piston is moved.

6. In a centrifugal machine, the combination of a cylinder mounted forrotation and having a circular opening in one end of slightly lessdiameter than the inner diameter of the cylinder for the discharge ofcentrifuged products, a hollow shaft having an aperture, for introducingliquid to be centrifuged, a reciprocable piston in said cylinder, and adisk in spaced relation to said piston and rigidly attached thereto,said disk being adapted to close the circular opening in said ycylinderwhen the piston is at one end of its stroke, said disk having a smallcentral opening through which the clarified liquid may continually iiowfrom the cylinder, the circular opening being immediately opened for thedischarge of solids and heavier liquids when the piston is moved.

In a centrifugal machine, the combination of a cylinder mounted forrotation, and having suitable openings for the introductionand'discharge of two different liquids, one of which is the liquid to becentrifuged,

adapted to separate said liquids at all times and toY be actu'V atedwhen there is an unbalanced force acting on one side due to differenceslin pressures in the two fluids, produced by centrifugal action,

charge ofsolids and heavier liquids thrown against. the wall of saidcylinder by cen it is movedA from this position;r

a valve controlling the dis- In AtestimonywhereofI have signed my 'nameto this specification. Y

ROBERT ALEXANDER SEURGEON- Copies of thisipatent may 12e-attained forvecents each, lay-addressing* -the Commissioner of Patents, v Y'Washington, n.6. A Y i f f

